Best friends or more?
by Team97
Summary: Rey and Ben have been best friends for most of their lives. Both yearn for more, but what will happen when a new face in town threatens their friendship?
1. Chapter 1

When she was abandoned in England at the age of 5, she only hoped that she would find the perfect family. Her hope was almost gone, until one day unexpectedly, Chewie came into the orphanage and found her. She had been playing with a staff almost as long as her, inspired by the newest Star Wars movie, Rey wanted to be as strong as the female character. Chewie saw that she had a spark, a ray of sunshine unlike children her age. He could tell she was wary of the foster system at the age of 8, but still she kept fighting on and did not let that deter her from pursuing what she wanted to be. He decided then and there that she would fit perfectly into his family.

Rey can only remember ever being best friends with Ben Solo. After being adopted by Chewie, she quickly became acquainted with Han Solo and Leia Organa. They were best friends with Chewie, having served multiple tours together before both parties deciding to settle down and have families. Through them, she met Ben. Her Ben. He had been playing with Star Wars figurines when they met.

"Ben, come meet your new cousin. Rey this is Ben, Ben this is Rey, come say hi" Leia said as she walked into Ben's room holding a nervous Rey's hand.

"Hi! My name is Ben. Do you want to come play with me?" Ben said excitedly while showing off his new toys to Rey.

"Sure, I would love to" Rey nervously said.

From that moment on, while she and Ben played cheerfully with the toys Leia and now Han looked from the door frame. Leia took a picture on her phone slowly whispering to Han "I hope they end up together, Ben has never let anyone let alone a girl play with him. He's always been such a loner, I hope Rey can help him change that".

-10 years later-

"Rise and shine beautiful, we can't be late for our first day as seniors!" Rey exclaimed.

"Ugh, Rey why do do this every morning. Ever heard of the concept 'sleeping in'" Ben groaned.

"Oh come on, aren't you excited Ben? We are finally seniors, one year away from being college students and young adults."

"Rey this is not the morning for your preppy happiness, can't you just drive yourself to school?"

"Bennnnn, come on. We've shared our first days of school for the past 10 years. Plus I don't have a decal for my car since it's lottery based parking, but I know you do. Let's go so we can get our schedules before the line gets long" Rey said as she tried dragging him off the bed.

Ben was not having any of this. Instead, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down to him. Rey became very aware of how her Ben had changed. No longer was her the lanky boy she'd known. He'd been replaced by a young man who had a muscular chest and was well built. She felt her blush rising to her cheeks as she was staring at his chest before looking eye contact with Ben. For a moment, neither of them could break the eye contact. Their heads slowly inching closer together as though they were each opposite side of magnets. Their trance broke as they heard Leia shout "Kids are you guys ready yet?". Rey immediately pulled back, embarrassed by what almost transpired.

"You got 10 minutes to get ready Solo" she mumbled out as she dashed out of the room.

Damn it mom. Could her timing been any worse. He was so close to finally kissing Rey, something he had dreamed about since forever. From the moment that he was 8 he knew that she was different than the others his age. She had this spark and livelihood about her that was contagious. Not only that but she was knowledgeable about Star Wars, cars, and everything else he was interested in. He had been torn for years whether or not to ask her out, but he didn't want to potentially damage the great friendship they had.

Ben finally got out of his bed and found the first thing in his closet to wear. He only wore all blank, so it wasn't as though he could go wrong with his wardrobe of choice. He quickly got changed and went downstairs where he grabbed a quick bite to eat next to Rey.

"You guys got everything you need?" his mother asked.

"Yes ma'am. Do you mind if Ben comes to a little party tonight with the other seniors? It's not going to be big and I promise there will be no drinking and driving involved." Rey asked with an innocent smile. Little did his mom know that Rey was a heavy weight when it came to drinking.

"Sure why not, just make sure to be back by midnight. It's still a school night for both of you" his mom said sternly.

"Of course. Oh shit, Ben we gotta go, it's getting late. Bye Leia, I'll see you tomorrow" Rey got up and practically dragged him out of the house and towards his car.

"Bye mom" Ben managed to scream.

"Be safe you kids".

As they walked out the house, Ben noticed how the high waisted shorts accentuated Rey's long and athletic legs. As he checked her out, he couldn't help but gulp at the image of his beautiful best friend. Her skin was always tan thanks to the Florida sun, her ACDC t-shirt tucked into her shorts was not revealing but somehow made her seem even more sexy. He looked down to see that she was wearing the white adidas he had gotten her for her birthday a week ago. It completed the look.

"Earth to Ben, you ready to drive?" Rey said as she waved her hand to his face.

"Yeah sorry." Ben finally pulled out of the driveway and headed towards Tatooine High School.

Rey had a feeling that Ben was checking her out and it made her feel excited and nervous. The outfit she had planned out since last week was one she knew she would look good in. She especially made sure to wear the new shoes Ben got her. She had been hoping for years that he had reciprocated her feelings, but knew that Ben was like other boys. Aloof to their surroundings and the girls that liked them.

When they finally reached Tatooine, they parked their car and walked in sync towards the cafeteria where schedules were being handed out. As they walked, they always got stares from their peers. Everyone always assumed that they were together but neither of them ever said anything. She became lost in her thoughts of whether or not she should speak up about this to Ben.

It wasn't until Rey tripped over someone that she got out of her head. She expected to have contact with the cafeteria floor, but was instead held tightly by a pair of arms. She looked up expecting it to be Ben, but saw a stranger instead.

"Hey I got you. Are you okay?" the stranger asked.

"Yeah, sorry." Rey replied, regaining her balance.

"The name is Poe Damereon. I'm new here, just moved from California last week".

"Hi I'm Rey". She noticed that he had been holding her longer than what most people would and she felt her face getting red. They stared at each other until Ben cleared his throat.

Ben saw the scene unfold in front of him. He was about to catch Rey when a stranger practically ran from the corner he was at to catch her. As they stared at each other, he couldn't help but feel jealous. He did not like how this strangers arm still held onto Rey. But what he disliked more was the fact that they could not keep their eyes apart. He had an uneasy feeling at that moment as though was about to lose his best friend.


	2. Chapter 2

Rey and Ben waited in the line who's student's name began with N-T. Ben couldn't help himself as he questioned "Rey what was that about?".

"Don't worry about it man, it's' nothing" Rey replied, biting her lip as she looked around.

"It sure didn't look like nothing" Ben muttered while rolling his eyes. She followed her eyes and found that she is looking at their "new" friend who was standing 2 lines over. "Come one Rey, don't make it so obvious you're checking him out" Ben said bitingly. He could feel the jealousy building up in him as his best friend made no attempt to hide her interest in the stranger, Poe.

"Okay, I admit he's cute but...nothing more" Rey nervously chuckled.

Rey tried to hide her embarrassment from Ben. It was the first time in years where another guy had made her heart and stomach flutter almost as much as being around Ben did. As they finally got their schedules. They compared and saw that they had all but two classes together. Both were in all Advanced Placement classes so the chances of them sharing as many classes as they did made sense. As they began to walk out of the cafeteria, Rey felt a light tap on her shoulder.

"Hi again Rey, wanna compare our schedules. It'd be kinda nice if I had a friend in my classes. You know being the new kid and all" Poe smiled. Rey admitted to herself, he kinda looked adorable and almost nervous to be asking the question.

"Yeah, sure no problem". As they looked at each other's schedules they found that they literally had all their classes together. Rey could feel Ben's pointed glare and tried to lighten the mood by trying to tickling him on the side so he could ease up. Ben however, did not appreciate this and stormed off.

"Yo what's his problem?" Poe asked.

"I haven't got the faintest idea, but come one I can be your guide for the day. Let's see have you found your locker yet?" She scanned the numbers printed out on Poe's schedule while also peering over to see where Ben had stormed off to. As she led him to his locker, she didn't catch much of what Poe was saying, and just said the occasional yeah to make it seem like she was listening. Her mind was trying to figure out why Ben was so angry at her. After they got their locker situation situated, both Poe and her walked to their first class, _AP Physics: C_.

Ben couldn't help but storm off to the locker that he had next to Rey's. He felt jealous and he knew it. He did not like how Rey so easily accept a guy who was clearly interested in her. What's even worse was that they shared all their classes together. He was okay with her tickling him when they were at home, but not at school. Not in front of so many eyes. His jealousy only grew worse when he heard Rey and Poe being chummy as they walked into physics together. Their professor for the course was super lax and didn't believe in seating arrangements. Each table had room for two students and Ben had saved Rey a seat next to him. He waved her over as soon as she came in but Poe asked her to sit with him instead since it was the first day. Rey mouthed "sorry" and texted him shortly after when she sat down/

_Rey: Sorry, Poe said he needed a friend for physics since he's new here and want to make sure he understands what we're going over today, since you Mr. Roy doesn't believe in Syllabus Week._

_Ben: Whatever_

_Rey: Why are you so mad at me? What did I do?_

_Ben: Nothing. _

_Rey: If it makes you feel better, I can sit with you tomorrow :)_

_Ben: No don't worry about it._

With that the final class started but Ben could feel Rey's eyes on him, unsure of what she did to make in such a foul mood.

Ben couldn't help but sneer when Poe was staring at Rey more than paying attention than what was being taught. As Rey rigorously took notes on the refreshers of kinematics, Ben couldn't help but stare at her as well. The way her brows furrowed and nose scrunched as she concentrated on her notes and honestly anything made her a beauty to look at.

"Mr. Solo and Mr. Dameron, unless Ms. Niima is teaching the class, eyes on me. You first quiz will be on Friday and I expect you both to comprehend the material at hand." Mr. Roy belted embarrassing Rey in front of the other 24 students. He could see her turn red from embarrassment but even more so, Poe and him turned the other way and looked at the board, both straining to not look at Rey anymore.

He could not thank the heavens enough when lunchtime rolled around. His mom had packed lunch for both him and Rey. She packed them both peanut butter sandwiches, but he knew that it wouldn't be enough to satisfy Rey's appetite. That girl could outeat any grown man. Ben went to the vending machines and got some snacks that would hold her over until they got dinner before the party. When he arrived at their usual eating spot, he couldn't help but smile as he saw that Poe wasn't with them.

"Hey, look sorry about earlier. I've just been having a mood okay? But I've come bearing gifts" Ben said as he looked onto Rey. It seemed as though he had surprised her while she was thinking.

"As long as you got those apple chips all is forgiven" Rey chuckled.

"Deal" Ben felt better already, they only had two more classes to go and the day was finally seemingly better. He felt his jealousy go away, and for the first time since arriving at school, he was able to smile brightly.

"So..."Rey began and Ben paused mid bite. He knew that whenever Rey said anything that began with so it always meant something he didn't want to hear. "I invited Poe out tonight with us to the little ghetty. And no don't worry, I'm trying to set him up Kaydel. She seems like his type." Ben thought, yeah right you're more like his type, but he didn't want to spoil the mood and instead replied with a nod and shrug.

"Well alright, I'll meet you at the front of the school when school is out?" Rey asked?

"Like always" Ben smiled, loving how they had a predictable routine.

"Cool" Rey replied as Poe came into view.

"Hey sunshine, ready to go stats?" Poe yelled.

"Yeah give me one second" Rey replied as Ben grabbed her wrist. To his surprise she gave him a quick hug before leaving.

As the school day finally drew to close, Ben couldn't help but be relieved. He loved to school but hated the social interactions that came along with it. He was waiting for Rey when she finally walked up and linked their arms together, as if they were going to skip along together to the car.

"What has you in such a good mood?"

"I have Mr. T for stats. I loved having him for calc" Rey beamed. "Where do you wanna grab a bite before this getty?"

"Hmm wanna go to Maz's? We can get the burger specials that you like to eat" Ben said.

"Yes, let's go!"

Maybe things will be alright after all Ben thought to himself

When it was finally time for the party, Rey had put on some light eyeshadow and a winged eyeliner, accentuating her cat like eyes. She changed her top so that it was a crop top showcasing her small waist and the right curves. She couldn't help but be relieved that Ben was back to normal especially after having Maz's. He hadn't really offered an explanation as to why he was acting the way and it didn't seem like he was going to budge about the topic either.

They were finally pulling up to Rose's family beach house where the getty was being held. As they entered the house, they greeted some of their familiar peers throughout the years. Never once did she leave Ben's side as she knew he would get socially anxious in gatherings like these.

They were walking towards the backyard where it opened out into the beautiful Fort Lauderdale beach, that someone yelled "Mistletoe". Unaware of what was happening they both looked around and found that it was them that walked under the mistletoe together.

"Guys it isn't even Christmas yet" Rey exclaimed with nervous laughter.

"Aww but sweetie that's like 10 years of bad luck on your love life if you don't kiss someone under it with you" Rose said with an evil grin. Rey cursed underneath her breath and looked at Ben who looked uncomfortable.

"I'll do it" Poe said as he arrived and lightly pushed Ben out of the way. He grabbed the back of her head and very gently placed a very sweet, and a light kiss on her lips. She looked back at him in disbelief.

At that moment, Ben felt his heart shatter and anger fill in him once more. No one had asked Dameron to step up and kiss Rey. No one.

He had to leave the house, he felt like he was suffocating. He left and went to a secluded part of the beach while everyone else was cheering on Rey and Poe kissing. When he finally sat down, he was sure that he was far enough from everyone.

How he hated that Poe guy. How is it that he could easily sweep Rey off her feet within the first day of knowing her. What he hated more was knowing how he had the opportunity for himself and didn't seize it. Worse yet, he knew that it was Rey's first kiss too.

An hour passed and Rey didn't see or hear of Ben. After her and Poe kissed in front of everyone he disappeared without telling anyone where he went. She knew that this car was still parked up front, which meant that he was somewhere on the beach. She excused herself from the group that she and Poe were in and grabbed two bottles of Blue Moon before making her way to the beach.

She thought to herself, where she go if she was Ben. thankfully her eyesight was better than most people and she spotted a figure on the far right side of the coast. As she made her way to the figure, she could hear Ben muttering and cursing to himself.

He glanced up when he felt another person next to him.

"Hey I bought you your favorite beer" Rey said nicely while still standing.

"Thanks" he replied as he took it from her and took a large swig. "Aren't you going to sit?"

"I probably shouldn't, Rose and I are going to be playing in the next round of beer pong against Poe and Kaydel." Rey replied as she felt Ben grab her wrist at the mention of Poe's name. He pulled her down with enough force that she landed on his lap. In his embrace, Rey could feel her heart skipping beats. She looked into his eyes and found them a soft dark brown color from the limited light that they had.

At the mention of Poe, Ben became jealous again. He grabbed Rey and pulled her down so that she was on his lap. He couldn't help but ask almost scaredly "What's going on between you and Poe?"

"Nothing, it was just a kiss. Nothing more nothing less. He's cute though I will say" Rey admitted.

Ben stated into Rey's hazel eyes, hoping that this moment could last forever. Her in his embrace. It finally gave him the courage of what was next to come. He set the beer down next to him and used his newly freed hand to grab her chin and point her head towards him. He slowly inched closer and closer and saw that Rey had closed her eyes in anticipation. Had she wanted to kiss him as much as he wanted to kiss her?

What started as a slow kiss, gradually became more heated. He felt Rey change her position so that she was straddling him. He could feel her hands tangle with his dark, raven locks. Their kissing became more frenzied, as if she was the air he was desperately trying to breath. He began to kiss her down towards the neck and she buckled against groin at the new sensation. He laid her flat on the sand and began to kiss her sweet lips again and he slowly grinded against her. His cock began to grow harder by the second as the thought of taking Rey then and there filled his mind. But the logical side of him knew that, that's not what he wanted. He wanted for each of their first time to be special and not because of some jealous reaction. With agony, he stopped kissing her and pulled himself away from her. He could see confusion in her eyes and questioning.

"Rey you're drunk, you don't know what you're doing." Ben softly told her as he looked away from her.

"Ben Solo, just so you know I'm quite sober. Why did you stop? Is it something I did?" Rey questioned as she hugged her knees inward.

"No, it's not now. It's not the time now" Ben replied softly while kissing her forehead as gently as possible.

"REYYYY WHERE ARE YOU" Rose called from the house.

"Guess that's my cue to go" Rey said as she slowly stood up. She looked backed once more towards him before running back to the house.

Ben continued to stare at Rey's running form, before deciding to head back by himself. He felt like he was an idiot for not telling Rey how deeply he felt for her.


	3. Chapter 3

Unfortunately, as good as she and Rose were at beer pong, they seemed to lose their two rounds to Kaydel and Poe by just one cup. It was meant to be a lighthearted game, but Rey was always a sore loser. Her very competitive spirit hardly allowed her to lose against most people, except to Ben of course, who was naturally talented in everything he seemed to do. It now seems like Poe was another one of these people too. Being as tipsy as she was from chugging all that beer, she knew better than to accept the offer of another Blue Moon that Rose offered her. Instead, she opted to try to dance off her intoxication by moving to the middle of the dance floor with Rose.

She was never a graceful dancer, often being told by Ben and Chewie that she dances with two left feet. However, tonight her inhibitions were gone and she let her hips and arms swing chaotically to the loud, piercing beat of the music. She noticed that Ben was of brooding in the corner of the house, probably cursing out whoever let the Top 40s play. He was staring at her, almost as though he was amused by the sight before him. She waved up her hand to tell him to join her but he refused. So she took the initiative and instead went to him and tried to coerce him to dance with her.

With music in the background, she grabbed his hand and flailed them around as though it was his own version of dancing. She could tell that he felt uncomfortable in this setting, due to his uneasiness with being around people, but he was finally letting loose and beginning to enjoy himself.

After what seemed like an eternity, when in reality was just about 15 minutes, they both decided to sit down in chairs next to the staircase. "Hey Ben, could you uh get me some water to drink? I'm feeling kinda sorta really hot right now."

"No problem. I'll go grab some" Ben replied as he stood up and disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve two red solo cups filled with water. Rey chugged both as though the planet had run dry. "Bruh, the second cup was for me".

"Oops. I was really thirsty" Rey said with a light smile.

They way Rey had moved her body while dancing not too much earlier that caused Ben to think of thoughts to bring a certain member of his body down. She was intoxicated but she was still beautiful. He had only encountered Rey drunk once and that was when they were 15 and they manage to steal a bottle of his mom's favorite wine. Both times, she was giggly and adorable. He realized that they should probably drink some water, it had been so hot in the living room and they were both sweating profusely. Thankfully, he was sober with the beer he had earlier already out of his system thankful for his speedy metabolism. As he was walking back to her, he couldn't help but step and stare at her in awe. She had her eyes closed and was swaying side to side to the music. Seems like she can't get enough dancing tonight he thought to himself.

Finally, the time came when the party started dying down and they decided that it was best if they left. It was already 1:30 am and they knew Leia wouldn't let them go out again if they returned any later. When they finally arrived at his house, they tried to get around quietly without waking anybody up. Rey sometimes stayed over since Chewie was pretty chill with his parents, plus Chewie always said Rey was Leia's daughter anyways. Thankfully, Rey had spare clothes in their guest bedroom for the next school day.

Even though it was already almost 2:30 am by the time they shower and eat some left over pizza, they decide to watch an episode of one his guilty pleasures: King of the Hill. They always watched an episode a night religiously before Rey either left or went to sleep in the guest room. As they sit in bed, Ben becomes very aware of Rey's presence. Things had changed between them tonight and he was unsure of how to move on from here. He tried the classic yawning and arm over the trick but Rey caught on and started laughing.

"Ben Solo, really? I never took you for a cliche man" Rey laughed using her hand to stifle the sounds.

Ben's face felt the blush first creep onto his cheeks and then to his ears. They were staring at each other then instead of the TV where Hank is going on about selling propane accessories. He felt embarrassed, but he mustered enough courage to gently put his hands delicately on her cheek and behind her neck. He bought her close enough to where he could put both their foreheads together. He could tell that Rey was taking all this in and had her eyes closed. After a minute he pulled away just enough to look at her lips and found that her eyes were still closed but her lips were slowly inching towards his own. At that moment, he delicately kissed her lips as though she was made of the most valuable china in the world. She parted her mouth, granting him access to her tongue. The pace had slowly picked up and before he knew it, she was once again sitting on his lap. Buckling and subtly moaning with his growing erection that she felt underneath her. She never broke contact with his lips though. It was as though he was the air, never able to catch enough of her breath.

As far as he knew, Rey didn't have any sexual experience but it didn't seem like it given the way she was tortuously grinding her hips. When she began unbuckling his belt, he felt a slight panic in the pit of his stomach. "No Rey, I'm not ready. I don't have any condoms on me" Ben said sheepishly.

"Oh, uh hmm. That's okay. We can just keep making out" Rey replied. She seemed surprised when Ben had a different idea in mind. She was a shocked but surprised when he had laid her on her back and moved down towards her incredibly slick region. She was wearing the same shorts she always wore when she stayed over when Ben pulled them and her underwear down. He first massaged her clit that caused her to almost purr. The moment his tongue reached down and started licking her in ways that he had dreamed of doing to her, Rey let out a moan that was almost loud enough to wake his sleeping parents upstairs. 'God she tastes delicious' he thought to himself. He could not get enough of her taste. He slowly put on of his fingers in her while massaging her clit and he could feel how tight she was. He slowly, fingered her with one finger before using two fingers picking up the rhythm as she began to pant. He knew she had climaxed when she let out a little yelp into the pillow next to her. With a smile, he laid down next to her satisfied that he was able to make her feel pleasure. Her beautiful hazel eyes stared deep into his soul.

"I think it's time for us to sleep don't you?" Ben said as Rey yawned as she felt relaxed and tired. She didn't bother to argue and she snuggled up into his chest. Ben held her closely and tightly. They fell asleep in that position until the next morning.


	4. Chapter 4

Two years later…

"How much do you want to bet that I can beat you in swimming?" Poe quipped.

"Please, the only reason why you won me last time is because you literally tricked me and started early" Rey responded.

"Oh come on my sunshine, I bet I can beat you fair and square. Afterall, I did beat Tatooine's freestyle record senior year".

"What exactly do you want to bet on?"

"If I win, you have to go on one date with me. If you win, I'll stop pursuing you like I have been since the first day I met you."

"Poe, you know I don't do dates."

"No thinking of Ben Solo and your past history together, remember he broke up with you on prom night. It's time to move on, plus like I said it's only if I win. Unless you are confident that you are going to lose. Plus Finn and Rose aren't coming in until later tonight. We should take advantage of the 2 pm sun rays." Poe retorted.

"Fine, fine. Let me go change." Rey resigned. They had literally just gotten to their San Diego hotel not one hour ago. Her group of friends consisted of Poe, Finn and Rose. They had decided to go to California for their spring break since Miami was always crowded. None of them except for Poe had been here before and he made himself the self declared tour guide of the entire state. Thankfully, the University of Florida was gracious enough to give her a scholarship on top of the Bright Futures that the state offered. It allowed her to save up, for this trip while working part time at this cute little bubble tea shop called Lollicup.

Their hotel had the most stunning view of the bay area of San Diego. She could see what she assumed was the boardwalk followed by the sandy beach. She was of course as fate would have it sharing a suite with Poe after the hotel told them that they only had two rooms available instead of three. They had accidentally overbooked for this week. Finn and Rose wanted to stay together for their alone time as they started dating after meeting at Pi Alpha's tailgating event their freshman year. It's not that she was uncomfortable with sharing a room with Poe, over the past two years they became really close. After Ben….left her she leaned on him a little more than she should for emotional support. She felt guilty knowing how much he liked her.

"Hey Rey, you can change now in the bathroom now." Poe said as he came out wearing nothing but the swim black swim shorts. She couldn't help but notice how well built Poe was. She could tell that the years of swimming during his childhood and even now in college had left him in great physical shape. Blushing, Rey pulled out her one black piece swimsuit cutout and proceeded to change in it.

When they got to the pool, it was pretty empty. There were two other women self tanning as they laid on across the hotel chairs. As they got into the pool, Rey couldn't help but notice how cool the water felt on her skin. The pool was about Olympic size as far she could tell. This hotel seemed to have all these nice and fancy amenities given how expensive it was to rent for the week that they were there. She made a mental note to check out the fitness center later to see what they had.

"Ok Dameron, what's the rule for this bet?" She inquired.

"How about let's race from here and back. Winner takes all" He said with a glint in his eye.

"Fine, but you snooze you lose" Rey shouted as she jumped into the water and began swimming.

"Hey that's cheating" Poe yelled as he too jumped into the water. In no time, Poe was able to surpass Rey and made the turn around to go back to their starting point. Rey realized that she had fallen behind and had begun to swim as hard as she could. There was no way she was going to go on a date with Poe. Knowing him and his expensive taste, she didn't want something to come between their friendship too.

Before she knew it, she had reached the end. When her head came up she saw that Poe was already waiting for her.

"See, I told you I'd win. You owe me a date." Poe gleamed. Rey couldn't but internally cringe but just shrugged off his win.

"Ugh, okay. But nothing fancy or romantic okay? I'll allow for one normal, emphasis on normal, date" Rey said. They had got out of the pool to dry out in chairs under the sun for little bit w-hen brown haired blue eyed guy their age approached and openly hit on her, complimenting on her figure. She couldn't help but scowl. Before she could say anything, Poe barked to back off, effectively challenging the dude. They stared at each other, before Rey decided to get up and leave. "Come on Poe, I think we should check out the area before Finn and Rose get here. You know them always going for the tourist traps".

Poe left with Rey, but made it a point to stand as close to her without physically touching her as possible. She could tell that he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. As soon as they got back to the room, she made a beeline for her suitcase and grabbed some clothes to change in after she showered.

"So, I was thinking. Let's go on a date before Finn and Rose get here" Poe said slowly enough to stop her in her tracks to the bathroom. She turned around and hesitantly said sure. She did after all lose a bet and she was not one to break her word.

"I can't believe that you Rey Niima finally said yes for date, and a that date is with me. Do you have a nice dress? Like a dress good enough for a wedding?"

"Ummm...no should I have bought one?" Rey questioned, but then the wheels started turning in her head. "Poe I'm not going to marry you on this date".

"What no no! I was asking because I have a wedding invitation for my cousin's wedding tonight...I forgot to mention I kinda had this planned out. I wasn't planning on going to it, but since we're in San Diego and my dad's side of the family is still mainly in California, I was hoping that you could be my plus one tonight. I know it's sudden, but I knew you'd say no if I had asked you yesterday. My nana actually flew into town from Minnesota as soon as she heard I was going to San Diego for spring break." Poe explained.

"I uh..Poe…."Rey stammered.

"I promise this is will be only until the reception is over" Poe begged.

"Okay, but I don't have a dress."

"No worries, I think I can find something in one of the boutiques for you. My treat, after all it was my idea."

When Poe came back to the suite, Rey was wearing her usual crop top and leggings. She was sitting criss crossed while eating a complimentary green apple while watching the newest season of Supernatural. Poe showed her the dress and boy did it take her breath away. It was beautiful. It was a white, coral colored pattern wrap around dress that she knew would show off her tiny waist and accentuate her shoulders. There was a slit that would show off her slim and toned leg if she wanted. Poe even bought nude heels to go with the dress. Rey felt guilty at that moment. It was beautiful and probably worth more than anything she could afford.

"Wedding is in about two hours and if actually in a venue in Point Loma which isn't too far from here. I hope everything fits, I kinda guestimated based on what you looked like" he blushingly said.

As Rey, got ready in the bathroom, she couldn't help but notice that this dress really did fit her like a glove. It's as though it was made specifically for her. She pulled out her makeup bag and hair curler to begin getting the rest of her face and hair ready. She kept her makeup light and natural looking. She ended choosing a light pink tint for her lips to complete her effortless look. For her hair, she created some loose curls. After curling her hair, she managed to pull it up into a beautiful messy bun with two strands of her one either side of her face. It complimented her face shape. She kept the necklace that she received from Ben on Valentine's Day two years ago. She never took it off for any reason what so ever. He had got it specially made for her after one of her favorite infinity sculptures that was at the Met in New York.

Poe couldn't help but almost drool when Rey stepped out of the bathroom. To him, she looked like a goddess. She couldn't help but smile and laugh a little of his reaction. It took him a couple seconds to compose himself. They ordered a Lyft and managed to make it to the wedding on time. What she was not expecting was the amount of cameras and the enormous red carpet that was laid before the venue.

"Poe, just exactly is your cousin?" Rey questioned.

"Oh you know...Ahsoka tano" Pose replied.

"Holy fuck! Ahsoka Tano is your cousin? Dude she just won three Oscars last week. Why didn't tell us you were related to her? We literally watched her on screen and you didn't say anything" Rey all but yelled.

"I didn't want it to be a big deal. Plus I don't like name dropping her." Poe replied. "You ready for the paps? I hear they are brutal but since we're nobodies they won't pay too much attention to us except for a few photos." Poe said as he offered his arm for Rey to take.

Rey felt overwhelmed. She was not in a million years expecting this. She took his arm and proceeded to walk the red carpet. Immediately, the paparazzi had recognized who Poe was and began questioning who she was.

"Dude are you famous in this area too or something?" Rey asked quietly enough for only Poe to hear.

Poe continued to smile and wave to the cameras before saying "Well, I guess you could say I did have a successful start up when I was still a kid here".

"Poe Dameron there's so much I don't know about you" Rey said.

"Don't worry, I don't have a criminal record." Poe joked. Finally, they made it through the the entrance of the church. The stained glass windows were a sight to behold. Rey was never religious so she never had gone to church. She couldn't help but stare at her surroundings and the people around her. Especially when a special someone caught her eye. He hadn't changed during these two years. He was most definitely more muscular than she remembered him to be, but his face was the same. His hair was a little longer, but everything else was the same. Out of all the places they could have met, it had to be here, while she was here as Poe's date.

Ben Solo makes eye contact with Rey and they both hold their gaze for a while. The urge to run across the room and hug her tightly almost takes over his body. But he was here on a mission. He could not move from his position, after all he was hired to be a temporary body guard. From where he stood, he could tell how beautiful Rey looked in her dress. She looked like the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. She could bring goddesses to shame with how breathtakingly beautiful she looked tonight.

He thinks about the decision he made two years ago. He constantly yearned for her but knew that he was not the best for her at this stage in her life. Their eye contact was only broken when Poe followed Rey's gaze and he mouthed fuck. Ben couldn't help but feel the possessiveness he once felt when he first met Poe. Poe whispered something in her ear that caused her to giggle and turn around. Oh how much he would give to be standing by her right now.


	5. Chapter 5

Two years had gone by and never in her wildest imagination did she think she would ever run into him again. Here of all places too. She felt a hand touch the back of her shoulders and Poe whisper on how ridiculous the bridesmaids looked with their pretentious feathery hats with their discolored dresses. He wasn't wrong. She always thought Ahsoka had good taste in clothing given that she always looked good in every single photograph that she's been in, but then again that's what a good publicist and PR team can do for you.

The ceremony itself was quite non traditional. It was an interfaith marriage. The groom was Jewish and Ahsoka was known to be Christian. Rey assumed that she held a fusion of the two traditions the wedding so show the merging of two different cultures. The reception hall was even more grand than where the ceremony had been held. It was held outside in a spacious courtyard, but florals were adorned everywhere. It hung over them through the strings that were laid out above them, on the walls as if the flowers were vines themselves, and even flowers on the back of the chairs.

Poe and Rey made small talk with each of his relatives. His nana in particular seemed to be smitten by her.

"Oh dear, you must be Rey. Poe has talked so much about you since you both met" his nana said.

"Nana, please not now" Poe cringed.

"Child, it's not a big deal. I promise Rey darling, it was all good things" she winked.

"Oh please do tell me, do you have any funny stories of Poe of when he was little? He's quite shy around his friends and I when it comes to his childhoods" Rey said with a devilish look in her eye.

"I need a drink or two" Poe exasperated as he unlinked his arm with Rey's.

"Did Poe ever tell you of the time he made the biggest scene in one of those fancy restaurants when he was 4 because all he wanted to eat were olives and black beans?" his nana laughed clearly enjoying the memory. "The wait staff were perplexed that a 4 year old would want this, so they bought him chicken nuggets instead. He ended up giving them to his mom and started wailing for his olives and beans"

"Seems like he was a handful even then" Rey giggled.

"Excuse me dear, I still have to congratulate the bride, but please don't be shy and sit with us later on during the festivities" his nana said as she walked away as Poe came back holding three margaritas.

"Margs? Do you not remember the last time you had tequila Poe?" Rey exclaimed.

"Hey, hey it's a special occasion" he half said as he chugged one down while somehow managing to give Rey one. "Plus, if my nana is going to be telling stories of me of when I was little tequila seemed like the best idea."

Rey couldn't help but laugh as they each began getting seated for dinner. The food was delicious. The steak was done medium rare which is her favorite way to eat steak. Poe managed to slow down his drinking while he was eating but was already on his fourth margarita. Over the years of partying in college, his tolerance had increased and he could now outdrink her. The toasts from each of the bride's and groom's entourage was deeply touching and Rey was still in disbelief to be surrounded by so many A list celebrities.

After all the seemingly formal stuff took place, the bride and groom took their first dance to the first song they had listened to during their first date. It was pretty fast paced, metal like song which she caught her off guard. Afterwards, everyone started to get into the dancefloor, and eventually Poe dragged her to the floor. She was hesitant at first but gradually, she felt the margarita kick in and she began less conscious about her self. They danced to music from the 80s until now. She had to admit, this was a fun date.

For the first time since Ben, she could feel some flutterings in her stomach when she looked at Poe. Something about how goofy he acted while dancing, while also making sure she was never alone made him seem cuter than usual. Now that she thought about it, he was there for her through the shit that she went through the past couple of years. A slow song began to play, more specifically, Ed Sheeran's "Photograph". For the first time, Poe looked unsure of what to do, so Rey took a little leap of faith and put her arms around his neck, queuing him to grab her waist so they could slow dance. They stared into each other's eyes for a little bit, before Rey decided to put her head on his chest. She felt at calm at the moment.

"Excuse, but can I cut in and have this dance" a familiar voice that caused her heart pick up speed. She knew that voice and knew that at one point she had to face her fears if she wanted to move one from her traumatic past.

"Buddy who do you think you-" Poe started before Rey cut him off

"Sure, Poe I'll dance the next song with him. It's okay, I'll be okay" Rey promised him as she cautiously took Ben's hand. Of course, as fate would have it, the next song was Whitney Houston's "I'll always love you". The universe sure had some hell of a timing. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, she could the intense butterflies in her stomach, making what she felt for Poe insignificant. He smelled the same as always and it was as though they were transported back to their high school prom. She couldn't help but stare at his eyes as they slowly moved. It was as though time had stood still and they were the only two left in the world.

Ben breathed in her familiar scent. His gaze never leaving hers. All he could think about was how he wanted to kiss her and be with her again. He had missed her all these years despite how they left things. He held her a little tighter and he could hear her catch her breath. *click click* 'Fuck' he thought to himself. He hated taking pictures, but at least it was with Rey. He made a mental note to see if it was the wedding photographer and to ask for a copy of it.

"How have you been? How's UF treating you? AreyoudatingPoe?" Ben asked almost rather quietly and quite rushed with the last question.

"I've been okay, everyday is better than the last. UF is as okay as college can be." Rey replied, ignoring the last part.

"You didn't answer my last question."Ben cocked his head slightly

"It's none of your business who I'm dating." Rey retorted. As the song started to come to an end, Ben could tell that Rey ready to be let go, but he wasn't. He held her a little tighter for the a couple of seconds longer than he should have. He wanted to hold her forever.

"Look, I think we should catch up on another time. When there isn't a prying pair of eyes watching us" as he motioned to Poe. "How long are you in town for? I'm stationed here so I could pick you up and take you to a great tea shop I know you'll love".

"I don't know...I don't think that'd be a-"Rey began, but then she must have changed her mind "That sounds fine, how does tomorrow 1pm sound? We're staying in downtown close to that big navy statue of the lady and the sailor."

"Sounds like a date" Ben replied as he let go. He could tell Poe was getting antsy and wasn't able to wait any longer.

"Hey sunshine, you ready to head back? Finn and Rose said they landed and were on their way to the hotel" Poe stated sternly while watching Ben.

"Yeah, that sounds good with me my feet are killing me." Rey exasperated and at that moment Poe decided to pick her and gave her a piggy back ride to the entrance of the venue. Ben couldn't help but feel the jealousy that came about him. He always made Rey laugh so easily. Ben hated that. He always wanted to be the only one that made her laugh and giggle at the dumbest things, but knowing Rey's personality that was never the case. Something about Poe always bothered him, probably because even when Rey and him were together, Poe still stuck to them like a bug and still occasionally flirted with her while he was present. He also felt sadness, realizing that he most likely lost the love of his life to another man. He was resolved to win her back, but first he needed to go find that photographer for that photo.

Rey was not prepared for when Poe lifted off her feet, but she was glad he did. She felt calm and somewhat peaceful once again. Her heart had stopped racing what felt like a million beats per minute and the butterflies in her stomach were finally gone. They finally got to the entrance of the venue when he finally put her down as they waited for their Lyft. The paparazzi were gone as security was tightened.

"Hey Rey,"

"Yeah what's up?"

"I need you to tell me something honestly"

"Of course, is something wrong?"

"Do I stand a chance against him?" She didn't need to know who the him he was referring was.

"Poe, I uh am not sure on how to answer your question, but I will tell you this I wouldn't mind a second date" Rey looked down at the floor as she stated the last part. It wasn't a lie, she wouldn't mind going on a second date with Poe. She realized tonight, that being with him was steady and calming.

Poe looked at Rey with wide eyes, in disbelief what he just heard. He slowly regained his senses, and put both his hands on her cheek. He took a step closer towards her and began to lean down. "I promise I will never hurt you the way he did".

Rey could feel her eyes slightly start to water and closed her eyes with those words. She could feel Poe begin to lean down as though to kiss her. When their lips made contact, it was a soft and hesitant, almost as though he was scared of breaking her. She pulled apart when she heard glass shattering around the corner. She opened looked to see who it was but found nobody there. The Lyft arrived at the moment and they got in and were on the way back to the hotel.

Ben couldn't help but throw the glass of champagne towards the wall the moment he saw Poe kissing Rey. His heart shattered at that moment. It was painful to watch the girl he loved be with someone else, yet he was so helpless. If only he hadn't done what he did two years ago, perhaps things could be different. Rey and him would still be together with their little one. They could have lived as a family.

Ben quickly walked away from the scene and told the groom that he had to go, the second shift of body guards had arrived to take over the remaining shift. All he wanted to do was go back to base and punch the bad in his room.

*buzz buzz*

_Hey here's my address for tomorrow. I'll see you then. _

_-Rey_

He couldn't believe that she still had his number saved. At least he gets to meet Rey tomorrow.


	6. Chapter 6

"So that seemed like a pretty intense moment you and Solo had there on the dance floor" Poe cautiously approached.

"Uh yeah...can we avoid this subject until tomorrow please?" she pleaded while looking down at their intertwined hands. The moment they had gotten into the Uber, he didn't hesitate to wrap his fingers along hers. She had this feeling as though he felt as though everything felt unreal and wasn't sure when his daydream would end. She didn't mind but couldn't help take everything that had happened within the span of just a couple hours. They were finally approaching the hotel and met Rose and Finn in the hotel lobby.

She unlinked her fingers from Poe and gave him a shy smile. He knew that she wanted to keep it down low until she was ready. Even though he knew that he did seem mildly reluctant but did eventually let go. Luckily for her, Rose and Finn didn't ask any questions about their fancy attire and instead began a long rant about how bad the TSA line was in Orlando. Something about how utterly disorganised the system was and how they almost missed their flight because of the bottleneck effect TSA had operated under. They vowed never to fly through MCO again, but everyone knew that it was often cheaper to fly out from there when traveling from Gainesville.

Apparently Rose and Finn had already checked into their suite right before they got there. When they finally got to the suite that Poe and Rey were staying in, Rey couldn't help but plop belly first into her bed. She felt exhausted. She politely excused herself while Rose and Finn explored their room to take a long, hot shower. She came out wearing her normal PJs, just t-shirt and short shorts, nothing that they've never seen before. She couldn't help but notice she got from Poe. He couldn't stop himself from staring at her long, perfect legs. He took the opportunity to shower himself as well while the trio remained in the living room trying to figure out which Netflix movie to walk.

They finally settled on the movie "Snowpiercer" with Chris Evans acting as the main lead. Rose and Rey were big fans of him, especially with his most known role as Captain America in the MCU. Rey pulled out the extra blankets that the hotel kept in the closet and pulled them over herself when she finally settled into the middle of the couch. There were two couches so Rose and Finn were cuddling on the other couch.

When Poe finally came out of the bathroom, he joined her on it. Opting for the corner seat, he and Rey were very close to each other.

Poe couldn't help but notice the proximity between him and Rey while they watched the movie. He paid less attention to the movie and more towards Rey. At first she was laying down, mid couch to the other side of the couch that he wasn't in. As the movie became more intense, she sat up and tugged her knees to her chest. He thought she was cold so he leaned over and bought his arm over her shoulders. She didn't put up any fight and surprisingly chose to rest her head on his chest, bringing the blanket over him as well.

He could make out Finn giving him the thumbs up and smile of approval. Rose looked to her side and also started grinning. Ugh he was most definitely going to need to tell them to be more subtle of their approval over the turn of events.

"Ahhhh" Rose yawned "Finn honey I think it's time we go to bed. I'm falling asleep" Rose winked as she led Finn off the couch and towards the front door. Taking their cue, he turned on the lamp light next to him to provide some lighting in the dark room.

"Good night, I'll see you after brunch tomorrow?" Rey asked?

"Of course Peanut. Good night" He winked while he walked away with Rose.

Poe and Rey stayed in the position for a couple more seconds before she decided to get on her feet and go to her bed. It isn't long until Poe hears her slip under the covers and snoring ever so lightly, exhausted from the day's event. Poe couldn't help but gravitate towards him and tried to not wake her as he fully tucked her into bed noticing that she was slightly shivering from the cold. He felt at peace watching her sleep so soundly and peacefully without any signs of worry on her face. He carefully caressed her right cheek so as to not wake her up. Before he had the chance to turn around and walk towards the sofa couch, he felt Rey's hand grabbing his wrist with eyes fluttering open. Though Rey looked a tiny bit drowsy, she gave Poe a goofy smile and wished him a good night before her head hit the pillow for a second time.

Poe tiptoed towards the sofa and converted it into the bed. As he laid in bed he couldn't help but give a genuine smile to himself as he stared at the roof. His heart was about to explode from happiness and he could no longer contain his giddiness. His dream girl was finally about to be his and he never though his feelings for her could ever be greater than what he already was. As much as it pained him to sleep, he began to drift off with a smile in his sleep, as he dreamed of Rey.


	7. Chapter 7

Ben had messaged her asking if she wanted to be picked up for their meeting, wanting to save money on transportation seeing as though they still had a couple more days in San Diego, and things weren't particularly cheap, Rey reluctantly accepted. Poe was awake and ready to start the day before she thankfully had someone to talk to while she waited at the lobby entrance. As they chattered for a bit, a black sports car came into view, and out of it came Ben. Wearing his signature black shirt and dark blue jeans with black shoes to complete the look. Well if there's one thing about Ben Solo, at least his style didn't change, Rey thought to herself.

Not only did Ben open the door, but he grabbed her into a light hug and gave a quick kiss on the cheek, as though they had never stopped dating. Rey's cheeks blushed as red as cherries. Poe on the other hand didn't look so amused. As she got into the car, she could feel Poe's hand wrapping around her wrist.

"Hey, if you need anything at any time, just shoot me a text okay? If he makes you feel the slightest uncomfortable you call me and I'll drop everything and come to you" Poe whispered reassuringly before giving Rey an attempted surprised kiss on the lips. It took her off guard and she immediately pulled back before he could, she could feel Ben watching. 'What is it with these two boys, it's like they never grew up past high school' she thought to herself. Poe seemed kind of hurt momentarily before opting instead to kiss her hand and lettering her go.

"I'll let you guys know when I leave! Are we still down for dinner by the shore?" Rey asked.

"Most definitely sunshine, I'll text you the address later". Poe replied as he closed her door for her. His fists instinctively clenched the moment he saw Ben smirk out of amusement from his failed kiss earlier.

"So you and Dameron a thing now?" Ben carefully inquired in order to break the silence?.

"Its..." Rey began but then replied "it's complicated" when Ben gave her a look that expressed the sadness behind his eyes despite. She averted eye contact and instead opt to choose to stare out the passenger window and watch the scenery they were driving be.

"I see" He simply and quietly commented. "Well we're here, this place is pretty low key and the food is almost as good as Maz's. They make a killer jalapeno burger."

"Gotcha".

"Table for two inside by the corner window please" Ben requested.

"Sure folks, Cindy here will be your server for today. Please follow her to your table" the hostess cheerfully said as she checked out Ben from head to toe. Ben noticed it but he couldn't keep his eyes off of Rey. She'd chosen to wear a black lace bra that could be seen through her white shirt. Her black jeans and heeled boots made her already long legs look ten miles longer if that was even possible. In short, Ben couldn't help but think how hot she looked.

"So Rey, how's everything been?" Ben asked as they sat down.

"The usual, I'm sure you must hear the stories from your mom, since after all Chewie basically lives at your place now, now that neither of us are there to keep our parents company. How are you? I heard you went into the Navy instead of going to New York for film school"

"Yeah, things in New York didn't align with Phasma's filmography school. I was stupid kid back then. I let go of the best thing that had ever happened to me for an empty promise. I chose the Navy because I knew you always wanted to marry someone in uniform" He muttered the last half so confidently Rey choked on her water for a couple of seconds.

"If I remember correctly, you were the one that dumped me" Rey spit back. Ben could tell she was beginning to get angry with what he had said.

"It doesn't mean I regret it. Where's the little one? I assume we had a little girl? It'd be unfortunate if our little one came out looking like me". Ben asked politely. There was nothing he regretted more in his life than leaving Rey and leaving by herself to raise their child. It took everything he had to not reach out the past two years because he believed that she didn't deserve a piece of shit like him. However, he also vowed that if fate ever led them to meeting again, he would do everything in his power to win her back.

Rey's face grew pale when Ben asked about their child. Or better yet a potential child.

"Didn't you hear from your mom?" Rey whispered with tears brimming in her eyes.

"Hear what?"

"Ben, I got hit by a car a week after I told you I was pregnant. Literally three days after you left me to pursue your dream in New York...It was devastating, there was so much blood and pain everywhere. I was hospitalized for almost 3 months. I started UF 2 weeks late because of my broken body." It literally pained Ben to hear how much she had suffered. At this point, he could see the tears falling down her cheeks in a stream. He didn't know about any of this. He would have come home if he did. He suddenly felt his world shift and his heart crumble. He left her in her moment of dire need. He could feel his heart clenching as his eyes began to water up. He reached for her hand which she pulled back.

"Don't, it's been a while but I'm okay. Only Poe and Leia knows about the miscarriage. Poe was with me as I went through physical therapy to regain my strength and my mental health. I really am indebt to him. I'm sorry I really should go. I hate to cut this short but I think it's best if we, I don't know don't see each other for a little bit. Seeing you just reopened a lot of wounds that I thought were slowly healing" Rey dejectedly said as she got up and left for the entrance.

Ben quickly followed after and left sixty dollars for the food and tip even though they didn't get the chance to eat their food. He saw that she began to shake violently and she began to walk towards the boardwalk.

"Rey! Wait! I'm sorry I bought all this up, I really had no idea what had happened" Ben interjected. "I regret everything back then and I really want to make it up to you. I don't care if we aren't together but can we at least be friends? I know it's a lot to ask of you but..."

"Ben, I don't know..."

"How about we get some ice cream? And just pretend this never happened. Please? You can decide what you want to do about us if at all afterwards. I'm sorry Rey, I didn't mean to-" Ben began tearing up, desperate to stay with her for a little while longer before she left his life for good. In all truth, Ben was a mess. He didn't know what to do or how to fully express himself but thankfully Rey understood him despite their two years apart.

"Okay." was all she could whisper as she dried the tears off with her arms as Ben instinctively grabbed and gave her a hug.

"Come on, I know this place with mint cookie and cream ice cream that you love so much"

"Ah Benjamin, you always did know that food was the way to calm me down," Rey cracked a smile through her reddened face. They walked to the ice cream shop, that always reminded Ben of home, with their fingers intertwined, neither of them letting go.

Three hours later it was as if nothing ever happened. They talked about the old times, even the memories when they were dating. From the outside, it seemed as though they were still best friends and Ben couldn't have been more relieved that it wasn't awkward after the whole attempted lunch ordeal.

"Rey, remember that time when you literally burped burger into my face when I went to give you a good night kiss?" Ben cracked when Rey bought up the time he stuck his fingers and dug it into her ice cream before feeding some himself.

"Hey! Ice cream is sacred okay. Wait one second, my phone has been going off". Rey checked her phone and her face went blank. "Hey I think I gotta go. My friends are asking where I'm at. We were supposed to have dinner at 7 tonight and it's 7:15."

"I see" Ben replied while fumbling around with the straw paper waste. "I can drop you off if you'd like."

"That'd be great if you could, I assume that getting an Uber or Lyft at this time is super expensive and out of my budget at the moment".

"No problem, I got the tip, don't worry," he said as he dropped a ten dollar bill on the table. My car is about a 15 minute walk away." They left the restaurant as Rey gave him the address that Poe had texted her.

When they finally arrived at his car, Rey had a little trouble with her seatbelt. Noticing her struggle Ben leaned over to help her out.

'God his smell is so intoxicating' Rey thought. When she finally felt him fix her seatbelt, their gazes met and lingered for a time that could be considered a little too long. His scent was everything she had missed the past two years. It was a mix of the woods but also some light scent that Rey could never put her finger on. Ben cleared his throat and began to drive the car to where she was meeting Poe and the others. She wished that the car ride was longer than the 10 minute the GPS had estimated.

Rey could spot the outside table that her friends were sitting at. From what she could tell they only have ordered appetizers and drinks. As she begins to undo her seatbelt, she accidentally knocks over one of Ben's air fresheners to the ground. Reaching down at the same time, their hands meet and she pulls back, and sits upright to her seat. Ben stays in her space however, and instead gazes into her eyes, causing an intense feeling to stir up in her chest. He begins to lean closer to her as though her lips were beckoning him. Rey can't help but gravitate towards him too despite what he's done to hurt her in the past. Their lips almost graze each other until they both hear a knocking on her window. They both jump back and Rey can't thank the heavens enough that the windows are darkly tinted.

They both look up and see that it's Poe. She could obviously see that he was not happy with her being so late and also still being with Ben. She opens the door and tries to smile and say hello to him, but as soon as she gets up, he pulls her into a deep kiss. It takes her completely by surprise. She gently pushes him away and sees that he's glaring right at Ben.

"Poe, I'm not an object, don't ever do that again or I will seriously punch you in the face" Rey whispered into his ear. She sees that Ben has an unreadable expression.

"I'll text you later Rey, I should get back to base. It was great catching up and reminiscing old times with you" He says in a stoic manner.

"Drive safely Ben. See you another time." She responded awkwardly as the two gentlemen stared each other down as if comparing dick sizes.

Ben's hand was in a fist. He clenched so hard he began to draw blood with the little nails that he had. He began to dial his mother's phone as he pulled and drove away.

"Hello, Ben? You haven't called in a while" Leia's stated.

"Mom we need to talk about Rey."

"What do you mean?"

"Mom I know what happened two years ago, I want and need to know everything."

Author's note: I apologize for the erratic postings. School has become very hectic and the writer's block is hard to work through. Please look forward to more regular postings for the next couple of weeks.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Two Years Ago (for the entirety of this chapter)**_

It has been almost six months since they had transitioned from best friends to lovers. Everyone that knew them well knew that it was bound to happen at one point. Ben couldn't help but feel as though every day was a dream. Six months into their relationship he and he still couldn't wrap his head around how Rey was his girlfriend. He had always thought his feelings were one-sided. The last thing he wanted to do was mess things up as he usually did with things whenever he started to feel happy. Rey was special to him and he knew that. After that fateful night after that beach party, they hadn't gone all the way as much as Rey wanted to. As much as Ben wanted to ravish her, he wanted to take things slow and make the night that they do decide to make love extra special. And what better timing with her birthday right around the corner. He had everything planned. He normally hated corny things, but knew how much Rey loved them despite always cringing.

Ben abruptly closed his laptop as Rey walked into his room.

"Watching porn again are we?"

"Rey! That was literally one time and I was like 14." Ben blurted.

"You mean it was the one time you got caught. Come one what are you watching, I'll join you too" Rey playfully said back as she straddled him in his chair.

"As much as I would love to share my porn preferences with you, let's not. Plus we need to leave for Poe's party in 30 minutes anyways." Ben cited.

"There's oh so much we can do during those 30 free minutes" Rey said with a wicked glimmer in her eye as her hand slowly began to make its way to Ben's crotch.

"You're going to be the death of me" he replied as he pulled her into a kiss.

_**5 days later**_

"Happy Birthday my Rey of Sunshine" Poe screamed on top of his lungs as soon as he saw her in their first class together.

"Poe shhhh why do you have to be so loud"

"You and Solo got any plans later today?"

"I think so? I didn't see him this morning so Chewie had to drop me off"

"Well if you don't, my place is always open for a birthday party. We can invite whoever you want."

"Maybe, but I think Ben has something planned, he's been acting weird the past couple of days."

"Well maybe he has as side chick" Poe joked but quickly retracted his statement and replaced it with "just kidding, he would never do that to you"

"I'd probably if he did lol" Rey retorted. "But seriously have you seen him at school yet? It's weird that he hasn't said or even texted me happy birthday"

"Solo's probably busy with whatever it is for your birthday. He doesn't seem like the type to forget when it involves you as the subject."

"I guess" Rey replied.

As the school day went by, she said thank you's to what seemed like the entire school. She couldn't wait until the day finally came to a close. It wasn't until she was in her last period of the day when she got a text from Ben.

**Meet me at our usual parking spot. I already talked to Chewie and my mom about our plans this weekend. See you soon. **

**-Ben**

Rey practically bolted from her seat when the end of the day bell rang. As Rey walked up to the car she saw the love of her life standing with the biggest sign and a huge bouquet of babies breath, her favorite flowers, asking her to prom.

"YES" She practically shouted as she ran up to kiss him on the lips. "Is this what you've been doing all day?"

"No, but come on get in the car, we gotta start driving to Sanibel Island before traffic becomes unbearable"

"Sanibel Island? What?"

"Don't worry, we're staying at my family's beach house there. I've already talked to mom and Chewie seemed chill with it as long as you make it back before classes on Monday"

"What have you been up to Ben Solo" Rey playfully asked.

"You'll see, now get in so we can get this road trip on the road. "

It was a four and a half hour drive since they had to go to the west side of the state and there was mild traffic. Of course, they had also stopped by and got dinner on the way. They were finally pulling up into his family's beach house driveway when Ben suddenly pulled out a blindfold.

"Put this on, it's a surprise before you ask" Ben stated.

"Ben this better not be a party, you know how I don't like surprise birthday parties".

"Trust me love, this is a hundred times better." He reassured her as he parked the car and took the key off of the ignition. With Rey fully blindfolded, he carefully led her out of the car. At one point, Ben couldn't take Rey's slow hesitant steps and instead opted to carry her bridal style into their home for the weekend. When they finally got into the house and up the stairs, he carefully placed Rey onto her feet and undid her blindfold. The sight before her was one of a big romantic gesture.

The hallway was lit with fake small candles leading into the master bedroom. As she followed the lights, rose petals gradually started to come into view. She wondered if the petals lead to the bed to which she was right. The room around her was decorated in a way that she thought she would only see in movies. Besides the bed were two candles that Ben just lit up while she was taking the sight in. In the middle of the bed was a dark brown teddy bear, encased in the bed's heart, drawn with of course the rose petals but also with their initials and an arrow through them. She knew how much Ben hated being tacky which made this gesture so much more special.

She sat down on the bed while looking at Ben who was still standing up.

"Happy Birthday Rey, I promise you a weekend of fun and chill vibes. All this for you my love" Rey whispered as he bent down to kiss her forehead.

Rey's heart couldn't be more full and she couldn't wait any longer. She wrapped her arms around Ben's neck and pulled him in for a kiss that came from her soul. He reciprocated and gradually made it onto the bed with her. The kiss evolved and became hungry, hungry for more than just a make out session.

"Rey wait, there's other stuff I wanted to do before we you know...made love" Ben shyly said.

"This is all I need Ben." She said as she saw Ben pull out his phone and pulled up the spotify app. He clicked on a custom list he made for their special night.

"Okay, this is the last thing" he kissed her back as the song Marvin Gaye by Charlie Puth came on in the background.

Their tongues slowly danced around each other. Their lips sucking and lightly biting one another. Somehow Rey ended up straddling a sitting up right Ben. She could feel his member twitch and become fully erect underneath his clothes. His hands began to wander underneath her clothes, plucking the nipples he had grown to know and love the feel of. She could hear Ben suck his breath in as she slowly grinding against his groin. She couldn't but smile as she elicited such a response from him. He took revenge however by changing their position so that she was under him, and he had his legs in between her own. He slowly spread them apart, teasing her as he lightly ran over her own treasured spot.

Their kissing became more aggressive and Rey was in a rush to remove all of his clothes. She couldn't help but feel how tones his chest was. When they were left with just their underwear, she teased him even more, poking his member over his boxer's hole. It was big and at its fullest. She playfully grabbed it and began jerking it, pulling it closer to her own underwear. At this point, Ben grabbed both of her arms and held them above her head. He drew slow, kisses starting from her neck to her belly, repeating the same trail and movements for a couple of minutes. He eventually moved down and removed her underwear. He went down on her and began playing with her clit. Causing Rey to feel such pleasure, even more so when he began to slowly insert his thick and long fingers into her.

She decided to take off his boxers using her feet, and managed to get one arm free and began stroking him at the same pace that he was using on her. Every now and then she would grab his nuts and gently caress them, earning a moan from Ben. She didn't even notice when Ben got out a condom, but when he removed his fingers Rey groaned, sad that the pleasure was gone. As he began to rip open the packet, Rey took it and threw it aside, causing Ben to give her the 'are you crazy stare'

"I've been on birth control since we started dating, courtesy of your mom" Rey simply said as she guided Ben back down to the bed.

"Are you sure?" Ben asked even more nervous than before. He had bought a whole box of condoms and had hidden them underneath the bed thinking that he would need them.

"Yes" She replied and with that they went back to kissing each other hungrily.

"You ready?" Ben asked as he guided his cock to her slick entrance. He could feel the heat emanating from her.

"More than I have ever been" Rey confirmed. With her confirmation, Ben began to push the tip in. She was so tight, she wasn't sure she could fit all of him, but Ben being all so patient with her, slowly pushed inch by inch in until she had all of him in. She felt full to the max. He gave her a moment to adjust before starting to slowly thrust into her as to not cause any discomfort. With each increasing moan, Ben began to pick up the pace. His hips thrusting over and over again until he could feel himself hitting her cervix. Ben always knew sex would feel good, but he never in a million years imagined that it would be this good. The warmth, wetness and tightness of her had gotten him even harder. He was on the edge of coming and he could tell that she was too. He quickly swapped their positions and she began to ride him. He began seeing stars with every movement of her buckling hip. She began to yell his name while also digging her nails into his chest. He could feel himself begin to cum, he tried pulling out of her but Rey shook her head no and instead left him come inside of her. After climaxing herself, she let herself settle and cuddle on Ben's chest. He kissed her forehead and suggested taking a nap before going to their favorite ice cream place on the island, only to hear Rey lightly snore.

Ben quietly chuckled and rested his eyes for a little bit too. "I love you" he softly whispered.

**4 months later**

They had finally managed to graduate. Poe, Rey and Ben had all been accepted into the University of Florida. Poe and Rey into the College of Engineering, and Ben into the School of Arts. Although, Ben was hoping to be taken off of Phasma's School of Filmography waitlist during the summer.

Rey noticed that she had missed her last two periods. She had chalked it up to her birth control. But she also noticed that her breasts were slowly getting bigger and could barely be kept into her bra. It wasn't until Poe mentioned her weird cravings that she decided to buy two home pregnancy tests.

Both had turned out positive. Rey felt as though her world momentarily stopped. She was just 18 years old, how did this happen? She took her birth control on time every day and never missed a dose.

She bought Ben to their favorite park to tell him the news. As they sat in the swings, Ben also had something to tell her.

"Rey, you first what is it that you want to tell me?" Ben asked gleaming. 'I guess whatever he has to tell me must be good news'.

"So um...don't freak out but I'm pregnant. I took two tests before coming here and they were both undeniably positive"

"I'm sorry, for some reason I thought you said you were pregnant."

"Ben...I am"Rey said. Ben's face drained color. His expression immediately unreadable.

"Rey I got accepted into the film school in New York. I can't be a father."Ben said in a matter of fact tone of voice. His dream was finally on the verge of coming true.

"Ben, your mom knows. She was with me when I took the tests, I didn't know who to go to. She wants me to try to keep the child. She said she would support us in whatever decision we make, but I also want to keep the child, even though I know it's extremely hard to be both in school and have a baby"

"Rey, no!" Ben began to get upset. "We are not having this baby. I finally have the chance of going to my dream school Rey. My DREAM school. I can't give that up just to settle down with you and miss out on life" He didn't realize what his words had implied.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Rey's voice cracked. "Is imagining a life with me that horrible?"

"With this child yes. I'm sorry Rey, I love you but I can't be tied down to you. We're over". Ben unmercilessly let out. It hurt his heart but his brain was justifying his words and his actions. After all his film mentor, Snoke, was right, why should he let his potential go to waste in Florida. Ben got up and walked away from Rey.

Rey sat on the swing in disbelief of what just happened. It took her a couple of minutes to process until she called Poe sobbing.

A week later, while crossing Calle Ocho, Rey gets hit by a car saving a little girl's life, but breaking her body in the process. Poe witnesses everything and hold Rey's seemingly lifeless body, calling her out and telling her to hold on as 911 is called.


End file.
